旅途的前半段，他们心境过于忧郁，难免沉闷乏味。但临近终点时，对即将定居之地的景致生了好奇，愁绪便被冲淡；驶入巴顿山谷时，眼前风光令他们精神一振。那是一处宜人沃土，林木葱郁，牧草丰美。沿谷蜿蜒行进一哩有余，便到了自家宅前。屋前空地唯有一方小巧绿院；一道齐整的园门引他们入内。
作为宅邸，巴顿小屋虽小，却舒适紧凑；但作为村舍则有所欠缺，因其建筑规整、屋顶覆瓦、窗板未漆成绿色、墙上也无忍冬攀绕。一条窄廊直穿屋子，通向后园。入口两侧各有一间起居室，约十六尺见方；再往里便是杂务间与楼梯。四间卧房与两间阁楼构成余下部分。屋龄不久，修缮完好。与诺兰庄园相比，确乎寒酸狭小！——但忆及旧居引出的泪，才落便很快擦干。仆从迎归的欣喜鼓舞了他们，为彼此计，人人决意显得愉快。时值九月初，天色晴好，初见此地便因天气之利而生好感，这好感于他们长久认同此居所大有助益。
屋址甚佳。屋后紧耸高山，两侧不远亦复如是；有的童山濯濯，有的垦殖成林。巴顿村主要坐落于其中一山，自小屋窗中望出颇悦目。前方视野更阔，谷地全貌及远乡尽收眼底。环屋诸山于此向截住谷势；易名易道，复于最峭两山间分支而出。
屋之大小与陈设，达什伍德太太总体尚满意；虽旧日生活令诸多添置必不可免，然增饰改进于她乃一乐事；且此时手头活钱足够，足令诸室更添雅致。“至于屋子本身，自然，”她说，“对我们家是太小了，但既已晚至年内不便兴工，眼前且将就舒服过活。或许春天，若钱钞丰足——料想必足——我们便思量起建。这两间客厅都太小，难容我所望常聚于此的亲友；我有点想将廊道并入其一，或兼并另一部分，余下那部分留作入口；如此，外加易建的新客厅，与上层卧房阁楼，便成极妥帖小舍。我倒愿楼梯体面些。但不可事事求全；虽我想拓宽亦非难事。待春天知我盈余几何，再据此规划。”
meantime，于此等改建皆赖年入五百镑之妇——而她平生从未积蓄——之省用而成前，他们尚明理，安于屋之现状；各人忙于料理私务，陈书置物，以营家室。玛丽安的钢琴开箱妥放；埃莉诺的画作悬于起居室壁。
如此忙活，次日早饭后不久便被房东来访打断；他来迎他们至巴顿，并献其宅园所有，补彼时之缺。约翰·米德尔顿爵士年约四十，相貌堂堂。昔曾访斯坦希尔，然表亲年幼，早已忘却。其面色全无不是好脾气；举止如信中语气温厚。二女至似真悦之，其安适似真牵于怀。他频言切望两家往来亲睦，恳请每日赴巴顿庄园用膳，直至他们安顿妥帖；虽恳至逾礼，却无人见怪。其善不惟空言；去后未及一时，园中蔬果大篮至，日暮前复有野味相赠。且他坚要代转邮书，不容拒其日送报纸之乐。
米德尔顿夫人托他致极文雅之词，言一旦确知拜访无扰便来探达什伍德太太；此词既得同样礼貌之邀，夫人次日便来见。
她们自是亟欲见此系巴顿安适之要者；而其仪容雅丽，惬其所望。米德尔顿夫人年不过二十六七；貌美，身颀而动人，举止娴雅。其仪较夫之所缺者皆备。然若得夫之坦率热忱些许，当更善；其坐久稍损初好，盖见虽彬彬，却矜冷寡言，除最寻常问询评语外无以为谈。
然不忧无谈，因爵士多话，而夫人明智携其长嗣——六岁佳儿——以为备；如此女士等临竭时有题可回，便问名岁、赞貌、发问，而母代答，儿依母垂首，夫人奇其见客如此腼腆，因其在家噪甚。凡正访必携稚子以备谈资。此例耗十分以定儿似父似母、何似何亲，自然人言人异、互讶其见。
达什伍德家辩余孩之机将至，因爵士去前必索其诺：明日赴园用膳。
The first part of their journey was performed in too melancholy a
disposition to be otherwise than tedious and unpleasant. But as they
drew towards the end of it, their interest in the appearance of a
country which they were to inhabit overcame their dejection, and a view
of Barton Valley as they entered it gave them cheerfulness. It was a
pleasant fertile spot, well wooded, and rich in pasture. After winding
along it for more than a mile, they reached their own house. A small
green court was the whole of its demesne in front; and a neat wicket
gate admitted them into it.
As a house, Barton Cottage, though small, was comfortable and compact;
but as a cottage it was defective, for the building was regular, the
roof was tiled, the window shutters were not painted green, nor were
the walls covered with honeysuckles. A narrow passage led directly
through the house into the garden behind. On each side of the entrance
was a sitting room, about sixteen feet square; and beyond them were the
offices and the stairs. Four bed-rooms and two garrets formed the rest
of the house. It had not been built many years and was in good repair.
In comparison of Norland, it was poor and small indeed!—but the tears
which recollection called forth as they entered the house were soon
dried away. They were cheered by the joy of the servants on their
arrival, and each for the sake of the others resolved to appear happy.
It was very early in September; the season was fine, and from first
seeing the place under the advantage of good weather, they received an
impression in its favour which was of material service in recommending
it to their lasting approbation.
The situation of the house was good. High hills rose immediately
behind, and at no great distance on each side; some of which were open
downs, the others cultivated and woody. The village of Barton was
chiefly on one of these hills, and formed a pleasant view from the
cottage windows. The prospect in front was more extensive; it commanded
the whole of the valley, and reached into the country beyond. The hills
which surrounded the cottage terminated the valley in that direction;
under another name, and in another course, it branched out again
between two of the steepest of them.
With the size and furniture of the house Mrs. Dashwood was upon the
whole well satisfied; for though her former style of life rendered many
additions to the latter indispensable, yet to add and improve was a
delight to her; and she had at this time ready money enough to supply
all that was wanted of greater elegance to the apartments. “As for the
house itself, to be sure,” said she, “it is too small for our family,
but we will make ourselves tolerably comfortable for the present, as it
is too late in the year for improvements. Perhaps in the spring, if I
have plenty of money, as I dare say I shall, we may think about
building. These parlors are both too small for such parties of our
friends as I hope to see often collected here; and I have some thoughts
of throwing the passage into one of them with perhaps a part of the
other, and so leave the remainder of that other for an entrance; this,
with a new drawing room which may be easily added, and a bed-chamber
and garret above, will make it a very snug little cottage. I could wish
the stairs were handsome. But one must not expect every thing; though I
suppose it would be no difficult matter to widen them. I shall see how
much I am before-hand with the world in the spring, and we will plan
our improvements accordingly.”
In the mean time, till all these alterations could be made from the
savings of an income of five hundred a-year by a woman who never saved
in her life, they were wise enough to be contented with the house as it
was; and each of them was busy in arranging their particular concerns,
and endeavoring, by placing around them books and other possessions, to
form themselves a home. Marianne’s pianoforte was unpacked and properly
disposed of; and Elinor’s drawings were affixed to the walls of their
sitting room.
In such employments as these they were interrupted soon after breakfast
the next day by the entrance of their landlord, who called to welcome
them to Barton, and to offer them every accommodation from his own
house and garden in which theirs might at present be deficient. Sir
John Middleton was a good looking man about forty. He had formerly
visited at Stanhill, but it was too long for his young cousins to
remember him. His countenance was thoroughly good-humoured; and his
manners were as friendly as the style of his letter. Their arrival
seemed to afford him real satisfaction, and their comfort to be an
object of real solicitude to him. He said much of his earnest desire of
their living in the most sociable terms with his family, and pressed
them so cordially to dine at Barton Park every day till they were
better settled at home, that, though his entreaties were carried to a
point of perseverance beyond civility, they could not give offence. His
kindness was not confined to words; for within an hour after he left
them, a large basket full of garden stuff and fruit arrived from the
park, which was followed before the end of the day by a present of
game. He insisted, moreover, on conveying all their letters to and from
the post for them, and would not be denied the satisfaction of sending
them his newspaper every day.
Lady Middleton had sent a very civil message by him, denoting her
intention of waiting on Mrs. Dashwood as soon as she could be assured
that her visit would be no inconvenience; and as this message was
answered by an invitation equally polite, her ladyship was introduced
to them the next day.
They were, of course, very anxious to see a person on whom so much of
their comfort at Barton must depend; and the elegance of her appearance
was favourable to their wishes. Lady Middleton was not more than six or
seven and twenty; her face was handsome, her figure tall and striking,
and her address graceful. Her manners had all the elegance which her
husband’s wanted. But they would have been improved by some share of
his frankness and warmth; and her visit was long enough to detract
something from their first admiration, by showing that, though
perfectly well-bred, she was reserved, cold, and had nothing to say for
herself beyond the most common-place inquiry or remark.
Conversation however was not wanted, for Sir John was very chatty, and
Lady Middleton had taken the wise precaution of bringing with her their
eldest child, a fine little boy about six years old, by which means
there was one subject always to be recurred to by the ladies in case of
extremity, for they had to enquire his name and age, admire his beauty,
and ask him questions which his mother answered for him, while he hung
about her and held down his head, to the great surprise of her
ladyship, who wondered at his being so shy before company, as he could
make noise enough at home. On every formal visit a child ought to be of
the party, by way of provision for discourse. In the present case it
took up ten minutes to determine whether the boy were most like his
father or mother, and in what particular he resembled either, for of
course every body differed, and every body was astonished at the
opinion of the others.
An opportunity was soon to be given to the Dashwoods of debating on the
rest of the children, as Sir John would not leave the house without
securing their promise of dining at the park the next day.
